Dorchester Castle Explained

Dorchester Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the market town of Dorchester, Dorset, southern England .

History

The date that the castle was built is unclear.[1] Between 1154 and 1175 it was in possession of the Earl of Cornwall and it had become a royal possession by 1185. Both Henry III and John spent money on the castle.[2] It appears to have been disused from about 1290 and there are references to its stonework being reused by the Chidlock family to build Dorchester Greyfriars in 1309.[3] [4] [5] Certainly it was abandoned by 1422.[6]

Dorchester Prison occupies its site – originally to the north of the town, with a Franciscan Priory further east, but nothing of the castle or the priory remain.[7] However, in 1720, two underground passages were discovered while building a chapel: these once connected the castle to the town proper.[8] In the 1800s, a bastion-like rampart still existed, and a small rampart and ditch were visible on the north and east sides. The gatehouse was built in 1790 and has been designated as a Grade II listed building.

Great Western Railway Castle-class locomotive No. 4090 was named after the castle.[9]

Governors

There are some records of people associated with the castle:

References

External links

50.717°N -2.437°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Draper, Jo. Dorchester Excavations: Excavations at Wadham House 1968, Dorchester Prison 1970, 1975, and 1978, and Glyde Path Road 1966. 1982-01-01. Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 9780900341106. 91. en.
  2. Book: Fry, Plantagenet. Castles: England + Scotland + Ireland + Wales. 2005-10-15. David & Charles. 0715322125. en.
  3. Book: Timbs, John. Abbeys, castles and ancient balls of England and Wales, their legendary lore, and popular history. Re-ed. by A. Gunn. 1872-01-01. 440. en.
  4. Web site: Dorchester Castle. Gatehouse Gazetteer. 2016-08-02.
  5. Book: Hutchins, John. The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 1868. 3rd. 362–4.
  6. Book: Urban Archaeology in Britain. 1987. Schofield. John. Leech. Roger. Archaeology Data Service. 0906780594. 2016-08-03.
  7. Web site: British History Online. 1970. www.british-history.ac.uk. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 2016-08-03.
  8. Book: Mackenzie, James Dixon. The castles of England, their story and structure. 1896. 9781153325301. 246.
  9. Web site: GWR oil - fired locomotives. The Great Western Archive. 2018-09-23.

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